Late last year, one of my best buddies, Yang2x, invited me to join her and other friends to their trip to Camiguin Island this month. This would be the first out-of-town bonding experience with my friends. Ace, my hubby says, okay so planning for the trip started. We have determined the date, planned our itinerary and other details. Excited as we are, I and Ace started packing our things for tomorrow, we will be going to my hometown as our jump off point to Camiguin early Monday morning. But things are not cooperating with our plans and it seems I and Ace cannot go for some reasons. It’s so frustrating but I need to accept it. Maybe, it’s not yet the right time to go there.   

It’s almost a week since I tendered my resignation letter to my functional superior. Though we talked about it over the phone, it’s just yesterday that she formally accepted it and that my administrative boss also confirmed his acceptance. Finally, my exit from the company has been approved. This is what I’ve been waiting for.

So, what’s the next step? Prepare for my turnover? Find my replacement? It’s both….and it’s never easy as I thought it would be. I started calling out fellow HR people for referrals. I think this is the easiest way to hire somebody competent for the job in just a very short time. 

This morning, I started to make the list of my tasks…..step by step. Yes, step by step on how everything should be done, for all HR functions. As I am outlining the flow for one of my most important tasks, I recalled was it like this before when I started with the company? I wasn’t even oriented. I started from scratch, hence, I learned the company’s ways of doing things as I go on and worst, after a failure.

Life’s been like this, we started from nothing and learn as we go along. Every curve is a learning point but we dont’t need to experience what others have gone through. We can learn from other’s experiences if we allow ourselves to.

I received an email from one of my officemates early this afternoon. Though I have heard part of it before, I was still inspired and I would like to share it to everyone.

John Gokongwei , Jr.
Ad Congress Speech
Nov 21, 2007

Before I begin, I want to say please bear with me, an 81-year-old man who just flew in from San Francisco 36 hours ago and is still  suffering from jet lag. However, I hope I will be able to say what you want to hear.

Read more…

Here’s a list of my experiences/events in my life as far as I can remember. I will update this in the coming days…..I cannot recall all of it in just one sitting.

1) I was wearing polka dots A-line dress when my younger sister Carol was born when I was more than 2 years old.
2) I started going to a Day Care center when I was three.
3) The first poem Mamang (Ilocano word for Mother) taught me was “Ang Nanay Kong Iniibig” (My Beloved Mother) and we recite it before going to bed.
4) I went to school by myself when my mother had a miscarriage when I was five.
6) At 6, I was not accepted as a 1st grader because I cannot reach my left ear by my right hand over the head.
7)  I was not vaccinated (I don’t know what vaccine is it) when I was 7 because I’m afraid of the needle.
8) Daddy taught us to dance cha-cha by outlining the steps to the floor.
9) I had my first horseback riding experience with my Uncle during our vacation in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur (my father’s hometown)….going down the hill and crossing the river.
10) My first bath in a river was also in Pagadian City.
11) I first saw colorful, beautiful sea creatures in Dao-Dao beach in Pagadian City.
12) My first ride in a ferris wheel was with my Mother (pregnant to our youngest that time), sister Carol, and with our puppy, Ron-Ron.
13) Me and my cousins enjoyed playing and bathing in the water pump at our grandparent’s place.
14) We also tried swimming in our canal when it rains so hard (hehehe….)
15) Everytime Mamang buys things for me and Carol, the designs are the same. It only varies in color.
16) I love Sundays a lot because Mamang buys us our favorite food for our merienda (for the Sunday school).
17) I did not allow my sister to open her red umbrella while we are walking home from school because I believe lightning will strike it. Hence, she was drenched in rain.
18) I never experience going to school (during my elementary years) wearing slippers or sandals.
19) Mother taught me how to cook one summer.
20) Daddy taught us (w/ my sister) to butcher a chicken (or duck). We are obervers at first and then hands-on the next session. We are so nervous because we should memorize the proper way and order of cutting each part…it’s passed or failed!
21) At 7, I was taught by my mother the proper way of washing dishes.
22) My first laundry session was when I was 9. Mother taught me how to wash, what part of the dress should I focus more, and how to hang it in the clothesline….must be in ascending or descending order according to the clothes’ sizes.
23) I had my ironing lesson when I was in grade 5.
24) I learned to use typewriter with the help of Daddy. But I can’t do it his way because he’s expert in using it.
25)  I have tried riding in a Carabao’s back with my cousins.
26) I and my cousins enjoyed going to the rice field during harvest time….to earn money…hehehe.
27) I washed diapers when our youngest was born (diapers are not disposable that time).
28) I am afraid of the needle. Thus, it took almost an hour before the nurse was able to do skin test on me.
29) My first travel without my parents was when I was in grade 5.
30) Daddy taught us the song Philippine Geography by Yoyoy Villame.
31) Mamang taught me how to cook spaghetti and macaroni when I was in high school.
32) I also had sewing lesson with Mamang….only simple stitches. Sad to say, I never learned how to sew using a sewing machine.
33) I experienced taking a bath in an irrigation canal to accomplish a team’s task in Girl Scouting.

34) My first ride in an elevator was so scary….we went 7 levels down the ground in the Agus 4 hydro electric plant in Lanao.

35) The very first waterfalls that I saw is the famous Maria Christina falls in Iligan City.

36) I used to sell candies, roasted peanuts, polvoron, etc.  in school when I was a grader. That’s how early I learned entrepreneurship.

I was raised in the province and I am not that familiar with Chinese cuisine  except for the siopao and spring rolls. When I went to Cebu city for my first job hunting after my graduation in college, I was treated by a friend at Ding Qua Qua along Mango Avenue. According to her, they serve the best dimsum in town. Not familiar with their menu, Ate Eunice ordered for me. She ordered steamed rice (it is not the usual steamed rice), siomai, and stuffed shrimp to name a few.

The steamed rice (placed in a white porcelain dish with cover, larger and taller than a usual mug) is composed of diced pork, shrimps, green peas mixed in the cooked rice with some sauce. It is eaten using fork (if you don’t know how to use chopsticks like me) right from its container and it tastes so great. The siomai is so delicious especially with their special sauce/dipping. Stuffed shrimp is made of grounded shrimp formed in a ball (like the size of a siomai) with one tail of shrimp protruding. It’s super delicious and I loved it!

The nice thing about these restaurants aside from the food they serve is the service itself (but you have to wait in line before you can take your seat especially during peak hours). You may be amazed at how they do things inside the restaurant (everybody has their specific role) from getting your orders, serving the food up, to billing you out (the in-charge will just count the empty dishes and presto, you have your bill).

Should you be interested to try dimsum in Cebu, try it out in Ding Qua Qua, Ding How and Harbour City. In Davao, they have Little Ding How along V. Mapa St., and Little Kowloon along Roxas Ave. If we have the “same” taste buds (like my hubby), you’ll surely love it. Try any of their menu and you’ll never regret visiting the said restaurants. You’ll have a great meal at a very reasonable price.